Halford on song for Blades

15 February 2009 18:06
Halford celebrated putting United ahead early in the FA Cup fifth-round tie by lifting his shirt to reveal a T-shirt promoting a record company he has invested in.[LNB]That was in the sixth minute of what proved an eventful afternoon at Bramall Lane for Halford, who started up front as a makeshift striker due to injuries and suspensions.[LNB]The right-back on loan from Sunderland was then moved to central defence after captain Chris Morgan went off injured and ended the match with three stitches in a facial wound for his trouble.[LNB]His efforts were not quite enough for the Championship side to claim a Premier League scalp as Hull's Kamil Zayatte hit back to force a replay.[LNB]But one man who should be happy is Eric Nicoli, the former chairman of EMI who recently set up R&R World, a new label on the lookout for unsigned talent.[LNB]R&R not only received some publicity as Halford scored but got plenty more as the 24-year-old spoke lucidly after the match.[LNB]"I am part of a record company, so I was just trying to advertise them," said Halford of his goal celebrations.[LNB]"I asked the referee beforehand and he said it was fine, so I'll blame it on him if it's not![LNB]"I am just an investor and trying to publicise it a little bit.[LNB]"One of my best mates I grew up with through school went through Pop Idol and actually got to the last 16.[LNB]"He has progressed and is now manager of one of the bands, so he got me interested.[LNB]"I put as much money as I could into it so hopefully the rewards will be bigger."[LNB]Among the groups Halford hopes will make it are a boyband called Vice and a rock band named Oswald.[LNB]But for now his immediate priorities are impressing for the promotion-pushing Blades, who were booed off just a week ago after losing to rivals Sheffield Wednesday.[LNB]"I thought I adapted well and I thought we deserved to go through," he said.[LNB]"I think I am quite comfortable up there and hopefully it showed.[LNB]"All the lads were saying if I'd have stayed up front and Morgs had stayed on, we'd have turned them over. But it wasn't our day."[LNB]United boss Kevin Blackwell also hailed the performance of Halford, who along with winger David Cotterill stood out for the home side.[LNB]"And he is not bad in goal either, no joke," Blackwell said. "That is why we go away without having a goalkeeper [on the bench].[LNB]"He is as daft as a brush but he is talented. He can do anything sports-wise. Sometimes he doesn't realise how good he can be."[LNB]The sides will meet again at the KC Stadium a week on Thursday in the middle of what will now be an important few days for Hull.[LNB]Hull are still in danger of being sucked into a relegation scrap after winning just one of their last 16 league games.[LNB]The FA Cup replay will come three days after a crucial clash against Tottenham and three before another vital encounter with Blackburn.[LNB]But Hull boss Phil Brown, who fielded a strong side in an attempt to guide his club into the quarter-finals for the first time since 1971, had few complaints.[LNB]Some Hull players were aggrieved at Halford's goal, as he headed in a Cotterill cross, but Brown saw nothing untoward.[LNB]"If the shoe was on the other foot I'd have been disappointed with that," Brown said.[LNB]"As far as I was concerned it was a good goal. They heard a whistle and some of the players stopped - I didn't hear it.[LNB]"I thought the lad Cotterill had a great game. Andy Dawson has had top international wingers in his pocket but Cotterill was their outstanding talent."[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk